THE KINGDOM OF SOLOMON IN URDU DUBBED
Solomon, the son of David, Solomon ibn David – was his father’s inheritor as a just king and a divinely-guided prophet. By presenting these models of sovereign virtue, the Quran makes us appreciate that – in the right hands – wealth and authority can be a great blessing. This is a story about gratitude to the King of kings, the source of all benefit and beauty. In Solomon’s hands, technology was used not for destruction, but to build a wondrous civilisation. It is a story about knowledge, and power – and the power of knowledge. It alludes to the miracles that become possible through a deep connection with divine revelation. It is also a story about animal kingdoms and queendoms, reminding us that all creatures form communities like ours, each celebrating the praises of the Lord in its own way. When Solomon (pbuh) asked for a kingdom which would never be replicated, he was granted the keys to subduing the creation, even those spirit beings known as the Jinn. Through the power of language, he could direct the birds and communicate with other creatures. Modern science is still scratching the surface of animal language and communication, and indeed there still exist language barriers between members of the human race. Little wonder, then, that Solomon (pbuh) was moved time and again to give thanks to the Almighty. He asks for the gift of gratitude, and to be granted the means to attain God’s pleasure and satisfaction. This surah or chapter of the Qur’an is named after the Ants, which invites us to pay special attention to this remarkable interaction. Modern research lets us know that ants are ‘ruled over’ – as it were – by a ‘queen’: an interesting prelude to the story of Sheba which is to follow! Here was a worker ant – almost certainly female too, as the wording also suggests – who was on the lookout and sounded the warning as King Solomon’s troops approached. Rather than fleeing for her own safety, she did everything in her power to ensure that her fellow ants were not crushed by this overwhelming force. No wonder, then, that King Solomon smiled when these words of warning were carried to his ear. Not only was he impressed at her perceptiveness and concern, he was also touched to hear the ant imply that his troops would never trample knowingly upon any of God’s creation. After passing through the valley, the King’s attention turned to the birds, which formed an important division of his army. They possessed the skills of surveillance and hunting, provided shade for the troops and may even have engaged in combat. It is said that the hoopoe bird was a specialist in detecting water; it may be the case that the one mentioned in these verses was the commander of his division. Therefore, the King would have to make abundantly clear that any unauthorised absence would not be tolerated in his army. The bird was about to come speeding back... but what excuse would he provide in order to save his neck? Did this little bird bring information unknown to the King? It is always possible for any member of society to contribute something unique and valuable. Still, the context implies that Solomon (pbuh) already had the matter of this Yemeni kingdom of Sheba under consideration. Indeed, that might explain why the hoopoe bird undertook his independent surveillance mission! In any case, here were fresh details which prompted the King to put his strategy into action. The dominance of sun-worship in Sheba was preventing its people from bowing before the Creator of the sun, Whose authority is asserted even over the loftiest of His creations – known as the Mighty and Majestic Throne. In this context, the earthly throne of the Queen of Sheba was a symbol of pretension and arrogance, and so Solomon (pbuh) would deal with it specially in the process of bringing her into submission before God. It was part of the divine mandate given to Prophet Solomon that he should take action against disbelieving nations and invite them to monotheism. Indeed, we may assume that the Queen of Sheba was well aware of how he had dealt already with surrounding kingdoms. Now, if the hoopoe bird had indeed just returned from Sheba, it would be straightforward for him to return there with a special delivery for the Queen... As befits the beauty of the message, the letter arrived in a noble form. It spoke with directness: but not before invoking the names of the Merciful God. We may wonder what language it was written in. Most likely, King Solomon would have had it written in the Arabic tongue of its recipients. After all, translation from Hebrew would be trivial compared to interpreting the birds and the ants! The miraculous nature of its delivery would not have escaped the Queen, who is known in tradition as Bilqis. It seems that her first instinct was indeed to submit – to Solomon at least, if not yet to God – for she recognized that this was no ordinary message, and no empty threat. She was moved – like that ant before her – by an overwhelming concern for her people, lest they be crushed by a superior force. Yet it was her practice – as mandated by the Qur’an for the believers – to consult with the experts and representatives of the people. If she found them to be hawkish, then she would need to employ her wisdom to win their support for her strategy. Before leading her people to surrender, the Queen needed to ensure that Solomon was no worldly king who could be bribed or appeased. If he did accept her lavish gifts, that would be a sign of moral weakness – and it could even be that her troops could repel or overcome his. But no: as a king, he was not impressed. As a prophet, he was not swerved. As a strategist, he sent back a powerful rebuke and ultimatum which guaranteed that the Queen would gather a delegation and hasten to his presence. In the meantime, he put another plan into action, using the forces at his disposal to dazzle the Queen with things from beyond this world. The first thing he needed was for her throne to be brought at speed over a distance well over a thousand miles. But who would rise to this challenge...? The King threw out his challenge: the first bid came from a powerful jinni, who was quickly outbid: but by whom, and with what sort of power? For us today, teleportation remains in the realms of science fiction. So what was this “knowledge” which allowed its possessor to outpace the winds and the mighty jinn? It couldn’t have been magic and sorcery, which were condemned by revelation – rather, it was a science derived from revelation itself. Perhaps – when emanating from a pure heart and sincere tongue – certain invocations and supplications could bring about immediate divine assistance. They say that it was a pious man from among King Solomon’s ministers at whose hands this miracle was performed – or that it was the Angel Gabriel. It may even be that it was Solomon himself (pbuh) is described here as the possessor of knowledge from the Scripture – meaning that he outbid the Jinn in his own challenge, in order to remind them of his mastery over them. Whatever the case may be, this unique throne arrived at King Solomon’s court while the Queen and her entourage were still making their way. Now he would set about preparing a test for her – of her knowledge and perception – in order to guide her to submission to the Almighty. A welcoming party accompanied the Queen on her way to the palace of King Solomon, showing her the wonders of his kingdom along the way. Her throne had been altered slightly and placed outside, as though to symbolise the end of the sovereignty she had enjoyed. When asked whether it was that same elaborate throne of hers, she displayed her wit by choosing an ambiguous response. Yet it was clear to her that this was a test and that something quite impossible had occurred. Some commentators take the words following her response to have been stated by the believers, who had preceded her in knowledge of the One God. If they are a continuation of her own speech, they mean: “I already knew that this man is no ordinary king, and I came here in readiness to submit to him.” As for the real submission which is to become “Muslim” in its true sense – that was still being held back by the overwhelming influence of culture and tradition, as well as her own lofty status in that idolatrous society. None of us is free from the influence of environment and culture, but a brave soul is one who thinks beyond. King Solomon’s unique workforce – of jinns and men – had constructed a palace which far exceeded the imagination of the Queen of Sheba. Its entrance courtyard was constructed from sheer glass like crystal or ice. It may even have had running water beneath it, and fish swimming by in plain sight! Unlike many Prophets and Messengers of lofty rank, Prophet Solomon (pbuh) was given an earthly kingdom and material riches. Unlike most kings, he took care of the needs of the people before indulging in luxuries like this palace – and without doubt, his greatest wealth was in his heart. In bringing this noble Queen into guidance, he tailored a method inspired by revelation. Her arrogance was finally broken when she was made to look clumsy in front of his courtiers and her followers. As she hastened to meet the King, her eyes were deceived and she mistook the sheer palace floor for a lake. Likewise, she had been misled by the sheer brilliance of the sun and failed to look beyond to its transcendent Creator. Finally, she confessed that Solomon’s bounties could have come from none but the Creator of heavens and earth – and so she renounced her former deeds and embraced the worship of the King of kings. In so doing, she retained her dignity, and said: “I submit with Solomon” – that noble Prophet who showed her the way. As for what happened next, this is not the concern of the Qur’an. Did the Queen return to her homeland and rule in accordance with the true religion? Did a marriage take place? Speculation here is a luxury beyond our means! Solomon (as)and the story of Ants. Solomon(as) became the King. He begged Allah(swt) for a kingdom such as none after him would have. Allah (swt) granted him his wish. Besides the wisdom, Allah(swt) had blessed the Prophet with many abilities. He could command the wind as he pleased. And he could understand the language of birds and animals, and even talk to them! The Prophet ruled the kingdom wisely, and at his commands, they built huge temples, fortresses, towes and palaces. Once, Prophet Solomon(as) and his army, were passing through a valley, while going to Askalon While they were passing through the valley, an ant saw the approaching army He then cried out to warn the other ants “Run to your homes! Or else, Solomonand his army will unintentionally crush you!” The Prophet was very amused to hear this. “Even this small ant knows that I’m a prophet!” He thought He then thanked Allah(swt) for saving the ant’s lives! Solomon(as) had jinns and birds serving in his army as well! They were all kept in order and ranks, and the Prophet demanded strict discipline among them. That is why he was very upset to find that one bird, the hoopoe, was absent without his consent. However, the bird soon appeared to explain his absence. The little bird had been scouting in areas where the Prophet had not yet scouted. “I have discovered something which you are not aware of. I am coming from Sab’a with important news” The Prophet’s anger subsided and he became curious. The bird continued “Sab’a is ruled by a Queen named Bilqis who has plenty of everything, even a splendid throne!” But in spite of all this wealth, they are worshipping the Sun instead of Allah! The Prophet wanted to test if the Hoopoe was saying the truth, so he sent a letter to the queen. The bird carried the letter to the kingdom of Bilqis The Hoopoe dropped the letter in front of the queen and flew away to hide. The queen opened the letter, and she read the greetings from the Prophet. The Prophet had also asked her to submit to Allah (swt) The queen was very disturbed, so she summoned her advisors. They told her that even though their country had the strength to wage a war, they wanted her to arrive at a peaceful settlement. Then they came up with an idea! They decided to send their messengers to the Prophet’s palace on the pretext of carrying gifts. They asked the messengers to learn about the Prophet’s army and kingdom! When the messengers arrived at the Prophet’s palace, they realized that Sab’a was nothing compared to the Prophet’s kingdom! They were surprised to see the lions, tigers and birds serving in the army! And when they walked into the palace, they realized that Sab’a’s wealth was nothing compared to the Prophet’s. Even the floors of the palace was made of Sandalwood and Gold! Solomon(as) realized that the messengers were here to gather information about him. When the messengers offered the gifts, they were shocked to see the Prophet’s reaction! The Prophet told them “Allah has given me enough wealth, and a large kingdom! He has even made me a Prophet” He then asked them not to open the covers of the gifts, and to take them back. He also sent a message to the queen warning to destroy their country, if she didn’t accept Allah (swt) The queens envoy returned with the gifts, and gave her the message. They also told her about the wonderful things they had seen. Instead of taking offence, she decided to visit the Prophet. She asked one of the messengers to inform the Prophet that she was on her way to meet Him Accompanied by her royal officials and servants, she left Sab’a. When Solomon(as) heard that the Queen of Sab’a was on her way, he decided to test her. He asked the jinns standing before him, if they could bring the throne of Bilqis, before the queen reached One of the jinns placed the throne before him within the blink of an eye! He then had the throne disguised to test whether the queen would accept it in its changed condition. When Bilqis arrived at the palace, she was welcomed with pomp and ceremony. The Prophet then asked her pointing at the throne, if this belonged to her Bilqis was confused. She looked at the throne again and again. After much confusion, she said “It looks so, it resembles mine very much!” The Prophet judged that she was intelligent and diplomatic. He then invited her to the great hall. The floor of this hall was laid in solid glass! When the queen entered the hall, she thought this was water. So she lifted her skirt lightly, from the fear of wetting it. The Prophet then informed her that this was actually glass, and not water! Bilqis was amazed! She had never seen such things before! She realized that she was in the company of a very knowledgeable person, who was not only a great ruler, but also a messenger of Allah(swt)! When she returned to Sab’a, she understood that the sun which they worshipped was nothing but one of Allah’s creations She repented, gave up worshipping the sun, and asked her people to do the same. Solomon(as) lived amidst glory, and all creatures obeyed him. His death like his life was also unique! One day the prophet was sitting holding his staff, overseeing the jinns working at the mine. The Prophet died sitting in that position . For a long time no one was aware of his death, as he was sitting erect! The jinns continued to work in the mine, thinking that the Prophet was watching over them. They kept working for many days like this Many days later, a hungry ant began nibbling at the Prophet’s staff. It continued to do so, eating lower part of the staff, until it fell out of the Prophet’s hand. When the body was no longer supported by the staff, it fell down!
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